June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) Awareness Month. PTSD is
a type of anxiety disorder that occurs if an individual goes through an extreme
physical and/or emotional trauma that involves the threat of injury or death. Individuals
who suffer from PTSD sometimes relive the traumatic event in the form of
nightmares or flashbacks. Individuals with PTSD may also avoid certain situations
and people that remind them of the event or may try to block out the event
altogether from their memories. People with PTSD may be hypervigilant, startle easily
or have difficulty falling asleep.
The most common events leadings to PTSD are combat warfare, physical abuse,
sexual assault, and being threatened with a weapon. Children who are the
victims of any type of abuse are prone to PTSD.
PTSD has been in the news lately due to the latest scandal at the Veterans
Administration (“VA”). It was discovered that many veterans across the nation
were subject to excessive wait-times for both mental and medical treatment at
the VA. The VA’s Inspector General discovered that at the Phoenix VA alone, 1,700
veterans were put on wait-lists that averaged 151 days for just an initial appointment
with a primary care physician (See article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/05/21/a-guide-to-the-va-and-the-scandals-engulfing-it/).
There is also evidence that records were falsified to make it appear as if the wait-times
were not so drastic.
For individuals suffering from PTSD, delays in treatment can be devastating
and mean the difference between life and death. We do hope that the pressures
from the public, Congress, and the media result in beneficial changes to the VA
system, so that the brave men and women who have served our country, get the
treatment they deserve.
Got a question that you need answered?
Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to
provide you with valuable information on our website that may help you navigate
the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to shoot us an email at
info@westcoastdisability.com or call us at (800)
459-3017.
